HERRIN – A man was taken into custody and cited after a standoff with law enforcement in Williamson County that began late Monday night and ended early Tuesday morning.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office says Brian Q. Herring was cited for Domestic Battery and Resisting Arrest. He was taken to and lodged in the Williamson County Jail.
Just after 11 Monday night, deputies responded to a residential panic alarm in the 14000 block of Circus Street in Herrin. When they arrived, deputies discovered that a woman was a victim of domestic battery. The suspect, identified as Herring, had already fled the home and retreated into a concrete and steel reinforced underground bunker in the front yard. After efforts to get Herring to come out we’re exhausted, deputies delivered a small amount of pepper spray which was unsuccessful. Deputies tried several times to apprehend Herring, but he refused to come out of the bunker. A Williamson County Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team arrived on scene at 11:45 p.m. and began to speak with Herring.
Then just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, Herring got out of the bunker and surrendered. While taking Herring into custody, deputies observed multiple gas masks, food rations, and other survival provisions in the bunker.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Williamson County Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team, Carterville Police Department, Energy Police Department, Marion Police Department, and Herrin Police Department for their assistance.